The Sovereign Manufacturing Automation for Composites (SoMAC) Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) has been created by the federal government to enable Australia’s composite manufacturing industry to become more competitive, backed by $69.9 million in funding.
The CRC will leverage over $189.3 million in cash and in-kind contributions from 36 partners to potentially generate $2.1 billion in benefits to the composite industry sector.
Results from this new CRC will contribute to Australia’s space, defence and medical industries, generating around 1,500 new jobs.
The funding has been provided under Round 23 of the CRC program, which is delivering $154.4 million in grants to three major business-research partnerships helping to solve major challenges facing Australian industries, generating thousands of new jobs.
The CRC, led by the University of New South Wales, will undertake work with partners that include five other universities and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation.
Minister for Science and Technology, Melissa Price, said the CRC would allow Australian composite manufacturers to gain a competitive edge by encouraging them to modernise and automate. The CRC will do this by linking Australia’s top composites research institutions with key manufacturers and their supply chains.
“The Morrison government’s CRC Program is a proven model of industry and research cooperation that has produced impressive commercial results,” Price said.
“The activities of this new CRC has the potential to triple the number of jobs currently available within our national composite industry sector and train more than 100 higher degree candidates.
Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction, Angus Taylor, said the ability to make things here and do it well was a cornerstone of the federal government’s industry policy.
“Projects like these are vital to strengthening our sovereign manufacturing capability and our plan to continue to grow Australia’s manufacturing sector so that it can be competitive, create jobs and strengthen our economy,” Taylor said.
“One of the key parts of our $2.5 billion Modern Manufacturing Strategy is getting science and technology working for industry and for jobs. This investment is ensuring we are aligning our research and innovation with our areas of focus, like medical products, defence and clean energy.
The CRC Program is competitive and merit based. For more information visit www.business.gov.au/crc.